Sai's Muse
by atinybabybird
Summary: He liked to believe he was observant, took in every little detail he could with anything and everything his eyes set upon. She however, had proved him wrong.
1. Chapter 1

It would be nice to paint her- just once if he could. He thought she was rather beautiful.

But not beautiful in the way a flower bloomed, nor how a setting sun dipped along the horizon. No, her beauty was _subtle_ , enticing, charming; she was _not_ cheaply formed, she was _not_ a duplicate of the other girls around her that floated about wearing doll like masks as they mimicked one another in a self-conscious battle of superiority. He did not see her as _above_ those women- but… He could not deny that there was something more alluring to a natural beauty, rather a _drawn on_ one. No…. In fact, it was so much more than just _that_.

And this revelation had caught him by surprise- for in all honesty, he had never once thought that the docile and socially inept Hyuuga could ever possess such a mature allure surrounding a hidden frame and blank eyes. And Sai, though shrouded in a veil of indifference and composure, still found himself stunned at times knowing that he had overlooked her beauty for so long.

Initially, the man blamed his mistake on those he stood with. Loud, overbearing creatures that could laugh in one beat then start screaming at each other in the next (were emotions so fickle? He would never understand), for they dominated her presence, ate her in a single bite only to spit her out later. While she struggled to not stammer, attempting to respond accordingly to a question, the topic would be moved and the girl would eventually be left behind. Though this was _never_ out of malice- Sai simply assumed he surrounded himself with dimwits. It was the only rational explanation- after all, no one could truly act cruel to the shy Hyuuga- not unless they were eager to breathe their last breath (what a _protected_ princess).

And then he thought about the women- and the stark contrast between Hinata and they. Where Sakura was demanding and proud, Hinata was shy, meek. Where Ino was confident and sexy, knowing her assets well, Hinata hid behind long hair and thick clothes. _Of course_ she would be overlooked.

But what a bunch of _cheap excuses_ \- perhaps _he_ was turning into a bit of an idiot too.

So he recalls the day he noticed it- or rather, finally noticed _her_.

There was a chill in the air- a sign of fall approaching. There were a few stubborn women gallivanting about in shorts- ignoring the climate change just as there were those whom accepted the inevitability and bundled up without a care. It was interesting- the stubbornness to be _fashionable_ , and the excessive excuses for couples to cuddle closer as autumn leaves fluttered to the ground. _So much touching_ was it really such and important thing? He would further investigate.

At that time, Sai had decided to take a walk, arms to his sides as the nin moved in smooth strides through the rather quiet market- most seeming to nestle into shops and hope for the temperature to warm. Though the cold didn't bother him.

Having no certain destination in mind, the man walked rather aimlessly. He knew he was looking for something to inspire him- just was not sure what exactly that might turn out to be.

"Sai-San?"

He stops.

Her voice was quiet, a whisper carried by the wind. If there had been more bustling within the market, he was sure he would not have heard the gentle voice at all.

So he turned, his face a blank canvas as his chest heaves, Sai quick in taking note of the familiar eyes that he had so often found himself curious of.

"Hinata-san."

He responds simply, and albeit politely. There was no indication that he desired to start conversation, and at the same time, showed no real desire to shoo her away. A wall of indifference- perhaps if this had been _anyone else_ he would know better on how to analyze and adjust the situation to one he could properly respond to. Unfortunately he found her to be rather… _Enigmatic_.

"I-I hope I'm not interrupting you…" Comes a stammered reply, fingers poking and pulling against one another in a fumbled play of tug-a-war. "I just…"

 _She's retreating._ She made it so obvious, what with how her chin tucked against her chest, flushed features deepening to create a darker shade. Perhaps he was intimidating? He wasn't trying to intimidate her. Or maybe his presence was not one of which she was comfortable with just yet… After all, their interactions were sparse- the two only seeming to come together when others surrounded them. So he smiles- there's no _real_ warmth, but if she follows after a fool, she must be a fool herself, right?

"Not at all. I'm simply taking a walk…" Pause. He watched her once again. She had looked up but…. Was not convinced by his action. He couldn't tell if she picked up on his insincerity, or if Hinata had already decided she was in the wrong and had begun to feel guilty. Though he doesn't waste anymore time thinking on it. "…Would you like to accompany me?"

Maybe _this_ was what she wanted? Companionship? Though her tactics weren't as bold as Ino's, who would simply tag along without invitation or cling to him with eyes that screamed _'I won't take no for an answer!'_ , her "innocent" response could also be seen as a subtle plea- maybe one that would attempt in making _him_ feel guilty if he had never asked (women were truly terrifying, he would make a mental note of this manipulation).

But… If she wanted to accompany him, why did she look so _troubled_ by the offer? Sai may not grasp the basic concept of understanding communication and human emotion, but he wasn't _blind_. The way her eyebrows knitted into a seam along her brow reminded him of the way Sakura's own furrowed- this of course being just before her fist slammed against the side of his face. But Hinata was _not_ Sakura (thankfully), and her wrinkled brow smoothed just as quickly as it had puckered. She nodded, though made no attempt in eye contact.

 _Interesting_.


	2. Chapter 2

They walked in silence, a surprisingly _comfortable_ silence. Of course he had tried to initiate conversation at the start, mostly questioning her on the Hyuuga clan, and her byakugan, and Hinata would answer to the best of her abilities, (mostly without stuttering) but his efforts fell through when casual banter picked up- and he soon realized that Hinata was rather… _Dreadful_ at handling such small doses of interaction. Not that she did not try, she did attempt in asking about the weather, and what his plans were for the remainder of his day after their little walk. But, for the most part she was clumsy and awkward, sometimes looking him in the eye and other times staring at her fidgeting fingers. Sai found it rather… Fascinating. If she was so bad at small talk, why try at all? Out of courtesy perhaps? She was after all _incredibly_ polite.

So it took little in him to drop the banter all together- no point in pushing for something that would never come to fruition. Though he didn't mind, _he didn't really enjoy idle chat like that._ More so did so because he thought it was appropriate, not for any REAL reason of curiosity or interest _._ In fact, he had only tried so that it would appease her- which he soon found that there was no need for.

So in their silence he focused instead on his surroundings. From the yellow orange leaves that would occasionally flutter to the ground, to the little creatures that frantically scampered away from the oncoming intruders- tastes of fall here and there from the quiet crunching of leaves, to the chill in the air. There was inspiration all around him, yet Sai could not come up with a SINGLE idea for his next piece. It was frustrating, really. Perhaps fall was already proving to not be his best season. With a sigh he let himself kick away a pebble. Though his face a mirror of indifference, he was quite lost in thought. That is, until the wind picked up. At first it was nothing- he did decently with the cold (though he was not a fan), however, the smell of cinnamon- something he had not expected to be within a forested area beckoned him, turning his face in direction towards the curious smell.

And then he saw her. Or rather, finally _noticed_ her.

Like careful brush strokes her hair painted the scenery. Deep locks danced against the wind as if groomed to perform alongside the crescendos of nature's orchestra; under morning light, what he had so often seen as dim and dark tresses, now highlighted purple to soft lilac- glossy beneath the suns glow. Even as they fell back in place along the contours of her face- he found his eyes trailing from hair to flesh, _bewitched_.

Pale skin- smooth in texture; powder white- she reminded him of a ningyo doll, designed to perfection with the upmost care. For her features were slender yet rounded- pronounced where needed, yet still softly finessed. He often thought of her bangs as another way she hid, but now he saw them as perfect frames that allowed eye travel to fall directly into her line of sight. He had grown so accustomed to seeing her features flushed and distraught, that Sai had never taken notice of when she was collected and reserved.

But it was her eyes that had the man transfixed. Perhaps it was because he wasn't used to her gaze- Sakura always told him not to stare- but now, alone together with out her notice, he simply couldn't help himself.

At first, he speculated that her eyes were a mirror of his own- though onyx in color while hers a milky lavender, both appeared void, blank. People were uncomfortable. They made others around them uncomfortable. And he had heard the whispers around konoha, Sai knew the discomfort some felt whenever his inky hues would lock with their own, Sai knew people talked about him. But he was never bothered by it. He never cared. And then he wondered if Hinata knew what they said about her, _he wondered if Hinata would care_.

Then he **stopped** wondering- because once he had begun imaging Hinata hurt by gossip, it felt _wrong_.

And then he realized _he_ was wrong, because her eyes were _not_ mirrors of his own, they _were_ in fact polar opposites. While he appeared to feel little, Hinata seemed to feel _everything_.

Where Sai knew that his expression never agreed with the words he spoke, that his smile never met his eyes, Hinata was an open book. She could question you, hate you, drive fear into your heart in one glance and in the next melt away your worries. After all… He had seen it in play before (he wondered why he had forgotten). When Kiba would get loud all it took was his name on her lips and a single glance for his voice to soften. When Sakura was frustrated, all that was needed was a couple moments of locked gazes before the fiery nin retreated and gave in. Sai couldn't do that, he couldn't speak sentences with a quick look nor feign understanding with a steady stare- he didn't possess the ability, the _skill_.

He was an unpainted canvas while she a defined masterpiece.

 _He wondered if perhaps he could be like that._

"S-Sai-San?"

He blinks- she had noticed _him_.


End file.
